Ways To Prevent Heart Disease
The heart is an organ that pumps blood with life giving oxygen and nutrients to all the tissues of the body. If the heart disfunctions, then organs like the brain and kidney suffer. And if the heart stops altogether, then the ultimate result is death. Life is dependent on the efficient operation of the heart. There are several types of heart diseases. Heart disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the types of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. The pace of our lives in the 21st century is getting faster and faster. It seems to be harder to find the time to exercise or to cook well-balanced, healthy meals. We boost ourselves with stimulants like caffeine and nicotine but then need depressants like alcohol to slow us down again. Instead of sitting down to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, we binge on fast food that are low in fiber but high in fat, full of carbohydrates and saturated fat. We might be living a longer life than our ancestors, but many of us spend the rest of our older years in taking medications for pain. We suffer from cholesterol and high blood pressure, and we have to take strong medications in order to take away pain.
It is still not completely explained what is the cause of heart disease, also called atherosclerosis or “hardening of the arteries.” However, multiple “risk factors” are present with heart diseases. The more risk factors a person has, the greater is the probability for a person to have heart diseases. Known risk factors include: high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, elevated homocysteine, cigarette smoking, chronic emotional stress, sedentary lifestyle and a family history of heart disease (genetics). Fortunately, all of these risk factors can be changed and possibly removed from our lives. How do these risk factors lead to heart disease? Most of them appear to work through a common pathway—the release of toxic substances that irritate the lining of the arteries. This irritation leads to a build up of cholesterol and calcium—called plaque in the arterial walls. When the plaque gets thick, it causes a partial obstruction, slowing the blood supply to tissues and organs downstream. If the blood supply is completely shut off, the result can be a heart attack or stroke. Most of the people in America die due to heart diseases. It is prevalent in children too and making prevention from an early age very necessary. By the time the heart problems have been detected, the underlying cause, atherosclerosis, is already at an advanced stage and has progressed at a fast pace. So it is very necessary that you should be careful about preventing atherosclerosis from an early age, by modifying risk factors, such as eating healthy, exercising and avoid smoking. Fruits and vegetables help to prevent heart diseases. Antioxidants from fruits and vegetables in their natural unique combination with nutrients and fibre, help to protect against heart disease.
Kids who have extra fat around their mid sections are more prone to heart ailments. Taking measurements around the waist will show exactly which child has developed risks for cardiovascular disease. Doctors say that we are overweight because we eat too much and exercise too less. It is due to our lifestyle that we face all sorts of heart problems. It is said that heart disease and strokes cost the nation approximately about $234 billion a year. Keeping your weight and waist down and avoiding tobacco is a precautionary measure against heart disease. A daily dose of aspirin is suggested for people who have a higher risk for a heart attack.
